High salt and high red pepper content leads to increased chances of stomach cancer. Your friends may be scared of Chinese kimchi but they should be scared of overindulging in any kimchi. Stomach cancer rates here are way above average for a reason. Korean food is a killer.

I ate it alot for a month at a goshiwon since it was free and the only kind they had. I have balls and a stomach of steel so, no, I am not afraid. Bowel movements and my nightly alpha male duties are another story altogether, unfortunately.

What does one even look for when trying to determine if it's Chinese or not?

They look on the walls/ signs in the restaurant. you might not notice it but ALOT of places will list where the meat and kimchi is from. At least , here in Daejeon anyways. Most smaller restaurants I've been too recently all say "김치 중국산" .. if you look around the restaurant they might have some signs hidden somewhere .. sometimes they are in your face, other time its kinda blends into the decor and hard to see..

High salt and high red pepper content leads to increased chances of stomach cancer. Your friends may be scared of Chinese kimchi but they should be scared of overindulging in any kimchi. Stomach cancer rates here are way above average for a reason. Korean food is a killer.

Not at all, you cheeky kyopo. It's established as fact that the high salt content in the majority of Korean food is the reason that stomach cancer is so high here. I'd also advise to not overindulge in red pepper paste and soju. Both of which are bad for your health.

Not at all, you cheeky kyopo. It's established as fact that the high salt content in the majority of Korean food is the reason that stomach cancer is so high here. I'd also advise to not overindulge in red pepper paste and soju. Both of which are bad for your health.

I'm pretty sure it's the fermentation that is linked to stomach cancer, not salt, which is of course still bad for, but in other ways.

The researchers, all South Korean, report that kimchi and other spicy and fermented foods could be linked to the most common cancer among Koreans. Rates of gastric cancer among Koreans and Japanese are 10 times higher than in the United States.

I'm pretty sure it's the fermentation that is linked to stomach cancer, not salt, which is of course still bad for, but in other ways.

The researchers, all South Korean, report that kimchi and other spicy and fermented foods could be linked to the most common cancer among Koreans. Rates of gastric cancer among Koreans and Japanese are 10 times higher than in the United States.

It's a very interesting subject with different papers citing different reasons for the stomach cancer rates being so high. I have read some that state it is the high amount of salt used in Korean food, and now (thanks to you) I have read that it is the fermentation.
Whatever the reason I think it is important to highlight that it is a real problem that all of us should be aware of. To deny it as "absurd" is to risk the health of yourself and your family.

Years ago there was an article in the Korea Herald about how inferior Chinese Kimchi is to Korean Kimchi. It went on to say that restaurant goers were being duped, because they can't tell the difference!